Lives changed
Leon Mccollin
Recognising you are drifting towards trouble can be difficult. When you are in the centre of a group, you cannot always step outside and see the potential there is for steering your life along the wrong path. Fortunately for Leon McCollin, he was able to do just that. He hasn’t looked back since.
Before getting involved with StreetGames, Leon spent most of his free time hanging around the streets of his community in Cricklewood, north London. Young people in Cricklewood too often find themselves involved in crime and substance misuse and Leon was in danger of following them.
Along with a group of friends, Leon was getting into increasing trouble with the local residents and was on the verge of receiving a dispersal order from the Police. As a final alternative, Leon and his friends were offered the opportunity to work with the StreetGames project at Cricklewood Homeless Concern (CHC).
Leon seized the chance and life could not be sweeter.
Now 26, he not only possesses coaching qualifications and the respect of his peers in his neighbourhood and a place on a number of advisory boards helping to map out a better future for others, he has just begun a six-month work placement with one of StreetGames’ funding partners, Coca-Cola Great Britain, as one of their Showcasing Project Coordinators for the forthcoming London Olympics.
“I’m smiling a lot now. I’m just constantly smiling. So much that I think I’ve got wrinkles,” said Leon. “I’ll be at home, not really doing much but have a grin on my face and my mum will ask me: ‘Why are you smiling?’ It’s because I’m having fun, I’m enjoying everything I do. The people I’m working with, the stuff I’m doing.”
The road to the Games began when Leon began working with StreetGames as a volunteer on The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme. He embraced the challenge of organising and running weekly sessions for others and has developed into a role model and an inspirational community leader to many. Having gained his FA Level 2 Football Coaching qualification, he developed a tournament for the young people he works with to compete in.
He has become an advocate for his peers within the neighbourhood and was invited to join the Independent Advisory Group to represent young people living in Brent. He also sits on the Co-operative StreetGames Young Advisory Board which inputs regularly into the direction of our national programme.
He added: “I help to organise the StreetGames national youth conference. We try to think of really cool ideas to make the conference more appealing in different ways.”
Leon recognises the impact that he can have on the wider community and uses his own experience to engage with other local young people, accepting responsibility and acting as a spokesperson for others. He has also delivered workshops on gun and knife crime to a local faith group and to schools in the area.
A strong ambassador for the project and the CYSV programme, Leon has been involved in the EU Inquiry into Grassroots Sport at the House of Lords. He also has a role within Groundwork London and the Middlesex FA and has completed his NVQ2 in youth work.
Leon’s achievements have been formally recognised by the Metropolitan Police who awarded him the Problem Orientated Partnership Award. He also received the runner-up prize in The Andy Ludlow Award.
His most significant career reward came with that call to work for Coca-Cola Great Britain.
He said: “Before I got involved with StreetGames and the CSYV programme, I didn’t even know that community projects and activities like this existed in Cricklewood. I feel lucky to have been able to make such a big change in my life and will continue to work with other young people to help them achieve positive things for their future.
“For someone like me, it’s surreal to be working at the Olympics. I was at StreetGames doing loads of different sports activities, fun-oriented stuff and to be shortlisted out of a large number of people to work for one of the biggest brands in the world is such an accomplishment.
“When people said I should apply, I read the application form and thought: ‘No, it’s hopeless.’ You think naturally that you can’t do it. Paranoia takes over and you think: ‘Can I do that? Can I be that kind of person?’
“The more you think positively about where you are from and put yourself in that frame of mind, it really works in the long run. It has for me so far. Deep down you can do it.”
Jason Sarginson »
Few of us are blessed with the inner strength of Jason Sarginson. Just 18 short months ago, with life spinning viciously into a tailspin, Jason was without hope and even a home.
He had relocated to Stoke-on-Trent from nearby Cannock due to family issues. He knew nobody there, had no job and had little money on which to survive. He moved into a Salvation Army shelter but instead of sitting alone in his room feeling sorry for himself, he decided to turn his life around.
How Jason did it belied the lack of confidence he portrayed outwardly. Strength and determination lay within and while he felt awkward socially in new surroundings and without friends, he persevered and used the hope that StreetGames brings to so many as his ally.
Jason had always been enthusiastic about sport, but didn’t know how to get more involved. He found out about the Stoke-on-Trent StreetGames project after seeing an advert online. He went along and what he saw there not only satisfied him as a participant but fired up his imagination to believe what might be possible.
He volunteered to help. What he brought was time, enthusiasm and a drive to help himself by helping others. Within a month of his first session, Jason was volunteering every day in various locations across Stoke. Unable to drive and in spite of his parlous financial position, he made his way around via public transport such was his dedication to the projects and the community.
What he discovered was a talent for leadership, for sharing his passion for sport. Jason gave 25 hours a week to volunteering and treated it with the same respect and diligence as a paid job. His confidence improved dramatically and he now leads sessions and acts as a mentor for the young people in the project.
Where StreetGames was able to reward him was not only in entrusting him with a responsibility which allowed him to blossom, but in giving him skills and qualifications through The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme.
Through The CSYV, Jason immersed himself in all aspects of the sports sessions being laid on for young people in the disadvantaged communities around Stoke and expanded his skills beyond the practical to the administrative side - an area previously outside his comfort zone.
The programme enabled him to improve his CV and gain several qualifications including Understanding Mental Health, vinspired awards, Athletics Activators and his Level 1 football coaching badge.
Jason found paid employment with local Football League club Port Vale within their Port Vale in the Community scheme as a sports coach and with that security he was able to move out of the Salvation Army shelter and into a council house in the city. Those steps, as well as the new friends he made through The CSYV programme, have been huge settling influences on his life.
In June 2011, Jason received the honour of being named England Volunteer of the Year in the annual CSYV awards which recognise outstanding achievement by volunteers in the programme. Through that, as well as through his commitment and unstinting belief in what might be possible, he is now an inspiration to others. We at StreetGames are very proud of him.
Jason’s view: “Volunteering is a huge part of my life. Through the work I've done with The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers programme, I've been able to realise the impact I can have on the community I live in. Other young people look up to me and I am very happy and proud to have won the England Young Volunteer of the Year award.”
Lewis Bratcher »
Social pressures and circumstances can lead us to make bad choices. Lewis Bratcher did, but instead of compounding the folly, he rectified his mistakes, using sport as his guiding light.
It wasn’t easy, not least because changing one’s own mind is much more straightforward than persuading others that the change is heartfelt and permanent. While Lewis was determined to find the right path once more, those he had offended and hurt by his behaviour required lasting proof that here was a young man of whom the community should be proud, not ashamed.
Growing up in the Fairwater area of Cardiff, Lewis became involved in petty crime. He was handed a Level 3 Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) by the magistrates in his local community and then a short jail sentence. It was a last resort but, fortunately, one which worked, shocking the teenager to his senses and making him evaluate his life properly for the first time.
He wanted to turn his life around. The questions were how and with whose trust and help. StreetGames provided that help, embracing Lewis back into our sports participation projects and then rewarding him for the positivity with which he was embracing the opportunity as well as the challenge by accepting him onto our award-winning The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteers (CSYV) programme.
He did not let us down. He was nominated to join The CSYV scheme by his local youth centre and volunteering became an outlet for his natural confidence. A huge sports fan, Lewis has since captained his country at baseball.
More importantly, volunteering has helped Lewis develop personally, significantly with his time-keeping and reliability, and given him the patience to be able to overcome learning difficulties. He has gained nine qualifications whilst in The CSYV programme including his National Pool Lifeguard Qualification and his Gym Instructors Level 2 Course, underlining his dedication to the personal goal of redemption.
He developed the award-winning Goodies in Hoodies project with fellow volunteer Maisey Andrews. Goodies in Hoodies was set up by the volunteers to challenge people’s perceptions of young people and to reduce the barriers between generations in Cardiff.
Lewis has become a spokesperson for young people in the area and now works as a young consultant for Power of the Voice, a youth services project. He inspects youth centres to identify potential areas of improvement for young people, making sure that the centres provide the best sporting experience possible. His has been a remarkable transformation, especially so given that the Fairwater Leisure Centre where he volunteers had previously banned him for life.
After initially taking the wrong path in life, Lewis now works to ensure the young people who look up to him don’t make the same mistakes he did. His contributions at Active Opportunities Cardiff have not gone unnoticed.
For his ability to overcome the cynicism and suspicion surrounding him, for his new-found sense and responsibility, and for his enthusiasm in inspiring the young people he works with to participate in sport, Lewis was named The Co-operative StreetGames Young Volunteer of the Year 2011.
Lewis’ view: “I started volunteering to get my life back on track and give something back to the community. I want to continue being a good role model to show others what can be achieved. I was thrilled to have even been nominated for The Co-Operative StreetGames Young Volunteer of the Year Award but to win was fantastic. I’m very proud of my achievements.”
Andrew Lofthouse »
Future Flames ambassador Andrew, 19, from Stockport, volunteers with StreetGames. At 16, Andrew became one of the youngest instructors of Thai Boxing in the UK, using it to change his horizons at a difficult time in his life. He is now chairman of charity Young Bank, volunteers in his community and mentors other young people.
On Future Flames, Andrew said, “I really want to help inspire other people to change their lives for the better, so being part of the search for other Future Flames to join me is amazing. We need to show people that if you put your mind to something and stick together as a community you can do awesome things.”
